Kuraray raises rubber prices

Tokyo – Kuraray Co. ltd is increasing prices for some of materials, including liquid rubber, trans polyisoprene and Isobam water soluble resins for shipments on or after 1 March, the Japanese supplier announced 15 Feb.

Prices for liquid isoprene rubber, trans-polyisoprene rubber, and Isobam isobutylene water-soluble resin will each go up by $0.23/kg, or $0.10/lb or €0.21/kg.

Price of “liquid butadiene rubber, etc”, said Kuraray, will be raised by $0.68/kg or $0.31/lb or €0.63/kg.

The price rise is a result of increasing feedstock prices during the course of 2016 and early 2017, which Kuraray said led to an increase in the production costs of speciality high performance materials.

It is necessary, said the Japanese supplier, to recover a portion of these increases to “ensure ongoing supply and new product innovation.”